Latch means for loose-leaf binders



Oct. 29, 1929. J DORNES 1,733,950

LATCH MEANS FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDERS Filed June 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 29, 1929. J DQRNES 1,733,950

LATCH MEANS FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDERS Filed June 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nu I396 Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY J. DORNES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO VISIBLE RECORDS EQUIP- MENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS LATCH MEANS FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDEBS Application filed .Tune 21,

This invention relates to latching means for booktype binders of the'kind in which there is a pair of back members hinged together. U. S. Patent No. 1,269,479, of June 11, 1918, to Martin and Patent N 0. 1,663,430, of March 20, 1928, to Wirt show such hinged binders provided with a feature whereby the back members may shift relatively to each other. The present invention has an important application to such so-called shift binders, although itanay be advantageously used with non-shift binder also.

It is old to provide catch means for holding the back members spread apart to some extent in non-shift binders, as witness the patent to Stoddard, No. 1,401,566, of Dec. 27,1921.

With respect to non-shift binder the main object of the present invention is to provide simple and advantageous means for holding the back members releasably in a partly-spread-apart condition. With respect to the shift binder the chief object is to provide means for holding the back members in such intermediate or partly-open position while permitting one of the back members to be shifted relative to the other. It is an object to acdomplish this result by simple means, and by means so directly associated with the catch means for holding the binder closed that a single manual control will suffice for both. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 'fragmentarily shows lying on its side a binder of the kind in question equipped with these improvements in a highly advantageous form;

Fig. 2 shows the binder of Fig. 1 partly open and held by my improved locking means;

Fig. 3 shows the binder fully opened;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the binder in the partly open position of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the binder, closed as in Fig. 1 taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1, as if the binder were standing on its loweredge and the View were directed toward the back members, this View showing the covering material and the metal 1928. Serial No. 287,128.

sheet-like part of the frame removed from one back memberwhereby a rear view is bad of the locking mechanism, the front view of same being shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 1s a fragmentary sectional view in the direction of the arrow 66 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Binders of the kind referred to are invariably providedwith means for holding the back members releasably closed, as in Figs. 1 and 5. These locking means are shown herein as comprising a pair of headed leaflike latch projections 10 rigidly secured to back member A and projecting so as to enter the openings 11 respectively in the inner wall 12 of the back member B. Mounted for sliding movement in the hollow interior of the back member B, and in the corner between the walls 12 and 15 thereof, are two angle iron pieces 13 (Fig. 5) each comprising a web 13 lying against the wall 12 and a web 13? resting on the wall 15, and over each of which angle iron pieces 13 extend two retaining brackets 14 secured as by spot welding to the longitudinally extending sheet metal frame part or wall 15. The top or outer surface of this plate-like frame part 15 is seen in Fig. 4

. latch projection 10, as shown in Fig. 5, thus holding the two back members together.

These two angle iron members 13 are connected by a thin piece of strip metal 16 spot welded to the parts 13 so that when the finger piece 17 (integral with the lower angle iron piece 13 in Fig. 5) is pushed inward both of these members 13 are moyed against the resistance of the compression spring 18 and the parts at 13 are freed from the head of the latch projection 10 whereby the back mem-' bers may swing apart on their hinge connection at 19. When the backs are brought together again the slanting surfaces respectively of the latch projections 10 force the members 13 longitudinally toward the compression spring 18, whicltspring returns the parts 13 so that both elements 13 are engaged by the heads 10 respectively.

I have thus far described a latch device for holding the back members releas'ably together, the release means extending to the loweror bottom end of the binder and being under the control of the operator. Those locking means do not provide for shifting movements of the back members relatively to each other nor do they hold the binder in a partially open position. They are designed merely to hold the back members in an entirely closed position. In the shift binder they hold the back members against shifting when the book is closed, which is an important function. This and other considerations, including the small amount of space available in the hollow interior of the back members, indicate that the auxiliary means for holding the backs partly open, and for shifting movements in the shift book, should be independent of the locking means just described, although under the same control.

Turnin to the auxiliary latching device, note first From Figs. 1 and 4 the latch member 20 having its free end 21 turned over to form a hook, its other end at 22 being mounted in the frame plate 15 for swinging movements of the latch member 20 by a pair of ears 23 (Fig. 5) passing through holes 24 in the plate, these ears being then bent over to form a loose connection permitting the free end 21 0f the latch 20 to move away from and toward the plate 15. The latch member 20 is in effect bowed upward by its two flat sides 20f and 20 forming a-ridge between them, this construction providing that the part 20 will rest upon the frame plate 15 (see ,Fig. 2) thus limiting movement in that direction, and then the latch end 21 will be in position to slide over the catch 25 having the body part 25 secured as by spot welding on the outer surface of the plate 15.

From Fig. 4 note the irregular opening in the latch 20. From the material originally there an integral rectangular leaf 29 is formed which in Fig. 4 is shown as passing through a rectangular opening 30 in the frame part 15. We see it emerging from the other side in Fig. 5. It has a hole through which extends loosely a spring wire 31 (Fig. 7 and the spring 31 is held rigidly at 32 (Fig. 5) which is a covering and retaining plate spotwelded to frame plate 15. The tension of spring 31 is upward in Figs. 6 and 7. Its effect is to draw the,latch member 20 downward in Fig. 2.

On the metal strip 16 is rigidly secured, as by spot-welding, a cam element having a base 40' (Fig. 5) and an upstanding cam part 41 (Figs. 4 and 5). In Figs. 1 and 2 it is seen projecting upwardly. It passes through a long andgiarrow opening in frame part 15 and into a rectangular opening 43 (Fig. 4) in the latch member 20. Its slanting surface at 41 is opposite one end of the opening 43 and engages the metal there when the finger-piece is forced'inward. This action pushes the latch member 20 upward in Fig. 2, thereby releasing the latch element 21 from the catch 25. The stroke of the finger-piece is such as to carry the outer end of the cam 41 under the latching member 20 thus holding member 20 free of the catch 25 so long as the finger-piece is held advanced.

When the book is entirely open as in Fig. 3 and the backs are then swung toward each other the latch end 21 first comes against the catch 25 and then slides over it against spring resistance, and then the parts become caught as shown by Fig. 2. From this intermediate or partly-open position the backs can be moved farther toward each other and completely closed whereupon the locking elements 10 come into effect and hold the book closed,

in which final or closed position the latch member 20 does not have any holding effect. When the backs are permitted to fall apart, however, by pressing upon and advancing the finger-piece l7 merely momentarily, the

latch 2021 will come into play and hold the backs in the intermediate position of Fig. 2; but the finger-piece 17 may be advanced and held While the backs are opened completely from the closed position. Again, the finger-piece may be operated twice-once to release the latch projections 10 and then to release the latch 2021.

The shifted position of one side of the binder is shown by dotted lines at the top of Fig. 4. The latching member 20 is substantially Wide and the engagement at 2125 (Fig. 2) is thus maintained during the shifting movements of one back member relative to the other.

The importance of this feature arises from the fact that With the backs only partially spread apart, as in Fig. 2, the shifting of sheets from one set of prongs 45 to the other set 46 and vice versa to change their location through the shifting of a back member as on the hinge pin 19, may be done much more easily than if one side of the binder is elevated by hand to make the prongs 45 and 46 overlap and the device then held in that position While the sheet-shifting operations are being performed. With this feature in corporated the operator can manipulate the sheets from side to side and shift a back member while permitting the binder as a whole to rest at all times in the position of Fig. 2. To remove or insert sheets the fingerpiece is pressed permitting the back members to fall apart. This done the back members are moved together somewhat and become 51 overlying the part 40, thus holding the cam member in position.

I contemplate as being included in this invention all such changes, departures and modifications from what is thus specifically illustrated and described as fall within the sco e of the appended claims.

claim:

1. In a binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together, the combination of means for holding the back members releasably in closed position, means independent of said holding means for holding the back members releasably in a partially-open position, and means common to both of said holding means for relfeafiing them respectively to open the binder 2. In a binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together, the combination of means for holding the back members releasably in closed position, operating means including a finger piece for releasing said holding means, latching means independent of said holding means for holding the back members releasably in a partly-open position, and means operatively connecting said latching means to said operating means whereby an operation of the finger piece will release said latching means.

3. In a shift binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together and having provisions whereby one back member may shift relative to the other thereof, the combination therewith of means for holding the back members releasably in a Partly-open position in all shifted positions 0 one back member relative to the other thereof, and means under the control of the operator for releasing said holding means.

4. In a shift binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together and havin provisions whereby one back member may s ift relative to the other thereof on the hinge connection between them, the combination therewith of releasable holding means for maintaining the back members in a partly-open position during shifting movements of one back member relative to the other thereof on their hinge connection, and means under the control of the operator for releasing said holding means whereby the back members may open fully, the arran ement being such that when the back mem ers are moved toward each other from the fully-open position into said partlyopen position said holding means will automatically again hold the back members in that partly-open position.

5. In a shift binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together with provisions whereby one back member may shift on the hinge connection relative to the other thereof, the combination therewith of releasable locking means for" holding the back members in closed position, means for holding the back members in a partly-open position, said last-mentioned means including a holding element elongated in the direction of the hinge connection between the backs and providlng a sliding connection whereby one back member may be shifted relative to the other thereof while the back members are maintained in such partly-open position.

6. In a binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together, the combination therewith of a catch element rigid with one back member, a latch member having a part ada ted to en age said catch element to hold the ack mem ers in a given position relative to each other, said latch member being mounted to swing in directions away from and toward said back members whereby said part engages and is disengaged from said catch element, and means under the control of the operator for movin said latch member in a direction away rom said back members to release its engagement with said catch element.

7. In a binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together, the combination therewith of two releasable locking devices, one for holding the back members releasably in closed position and the other for holding the back members releasably in a partly open position, said devices including an operating member mounted on one back member for longitudinal movements substantially parallel with the hinge connection between the back members, one of said devices having a holding part cooperating directly with said operating member, the other device having a spring-actuated holding part movable in a direction substantially at right angles to a line parallel with the axis of said hinge connection, and an operating connection between said operating means and said spring-actuated holding part for releasing the latter.

HARRY J. DORNES. 

